Jets file tampering charges against Patriots over Revis remarks

Posted by Mike Florio on March 24, 2015, 9:00 PM EST

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In December, Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly expressed interest in bringing back cornerback Darrelle Revis, who at the time was under contract with the Patriots. The Patriots later filed tampering charges against the Jets.

On Monday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke about the departure of Revis for the Jets. The next day, the Jets filed tampering charges against the Patriots.

Per a league source, the Jets have submitted to the league office a letter tracking the language cited by the Patriots when making their tampering charge in January.

“I speak as a fan of the New England Patriots,” Kraft said Monday, via Tom Curran of CSN New England. “We wanted to keep him, we wanted him in our system. We have certain disciplines and we had hoped it would work out. It didn’t. We just don’t think about the short-term decisions. For example, next year we have three very good young defensive players coming up [for contracts] and we have to factor that we just don’t look at this year, we look out at the next few years. We’ve done okay doing that.

“[The Jets] are the team that drafted him. I think he feels a great commitment there, so we understand his going back and we’re sorry he didn’t stay with us.”

The tampering rules prohibit “[a]ny public or private statement of interest, qualified or unqualified, in another club’s player to that player’s agent or representative, or to a member of the news media.” The rule includes this example of prohibited statements: “He’s an excellent player, and we’d very much like to have him if he were available, but another club holds his rights.”

In December, Johnson said he’d like to bring Revis back, at a time the contract Revis signed with the Patriots was nearing its conclusion. On Monday, Kraft said wanted to keep Revis, two weeks after Revis signed a multi-year deal with $39 million fully guaranteed to play for the Jets. While the Jets may see this as a goose/gander situation, the circumstances are fundamentally different.

Indeed, Johnson said he wanted to bring back Revis at a time when Revis was under contract with the Patriots. Kraft merely said he had wanted to keep Revis after Revis left for another team.

Moving forward, look for Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News to write a column arguing that there’s no difference, and then for Curran to author an article explaining that Mehta is misinformed. And maybe the two of them can return to PFT Live tomorrow to debate the subject again.

“We thought we made a very competitive offer [to Revis],” Kraft said in a media address. “I speak as a fan of the New England Patriots, we wanted to keep him. We wanted him in our system, and we have certain disciplines. We had hoped it worked out. It didn’t. We just don’t think about short-term decisions. For example, next year we have three very good young defensive players coming up and we have to factor that.”

Technically, there is no difference. They discussed a player under contract with another team. One could quibble that the circumstances differ, but according to rule, that doesn’t matter. In reality, it just demonstrates the weakness of the original filing by the patriots.

Roger should hit them even harder now for not even attempting to conduct themselves with any class. Couldn’t let Rog get out of the meetings without throwing a public tantrum he’ll now have to address. You just shot yourselves in the foot NYJ.

The Jets are lame. This is stupid. Woody gives an open invitation to revis and then signs him and thinks his weak apology should have been enough? And because it wasn’t enough he is now going to file frivolous chargers in return. This is apples and oranges. It’s also why Belichick doesn’t talk to the media. Kraft didn’t say anything remotely close to tampering. He said they wanted him back and the jets outbid them. I don’t see the problem

Next the Texans are going to file charges that the Pats said Wilfork was a great player and a toughest decision to let him go.

This is solely because they got caught with their hand squarely on the bottom of the cookie jar and are hoping to mitigate it. Goodell will of course say nothing so that he can make the Pats look guilty of something.

ha what a joke lets see what commish goodel does bout thiks now. the whole thing is rediculous. teams tamper all the time. new england guess what revis came home too where he belongs. he will always be a jet. get over it… revis island is home

Seems the Patriots could have just been content beating the Jets like a drum and not filed tampering charges over a player they knew they were going to let walk. Don’t blame the Jets for being petty in return.

Well why the heck not? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander (whatever that’s supposed to mean). Besides, don’t we all just love the endless pissing match the Jets and Pats have been engaged in since….forever ago?

The Jets, a loser franchise that hasn’t accomplished anything since the Moon landing have now stooped to a new low.

This isn’t even a rivalry, the Patriots have far bigger fish to fry than those perennial bottom feeders. Their best player will never accomplish there in a thousand years what he did in his one year as a Patriot.

The two statements are completely different. Johnson openly stated he wanted another team’s player, Kraft said he tried to negotiate with the player and it didn’t work out.

Wow the Jets are so pathetic. Kraft spoke of the PAST. Johnson of the FUTURE. Only Johnson tampered. I thought it was all a joke but now it’s on and I expect the Jets to owe compensation to the Pats for tempering.

The spirit of the rule is obviously to prevent contract influence. When the Jets did it Revis was expected to be a FA due to his ridiculous salary. When the Pats did it they were simply explaining to fans why a prominent player was lost. That can only happen after a new contract with a new team is signed (else he wouldn’t yet be lost). The Jets may have a technical point because of how the rule is written but it can’t be seriously considered as tampering. It makes the Jets look pretty and vindictive about the complaint of their actual tampering of the same player.

You know, if this is true, I have to think that the Jets are simply not a serious organization. They have drafted ahead of the Patriots for what, 15 years now, and they can’t beat them on the field. Can you imagine how much better the Jets would do if they focused as much on their in-game performance as they do on b.s. like this?

Woody Johnson just challenged Roger Goodell to a duel. The problem is, Krafts remarks are all in the past tense and in no way imply Kraft is interested now in Revis, and are contrary to violating the intention of the rule. Woody Johnson is guilty of blatantly violating the rule, and it remains to be seen if anyone else in the organization may have been in violation. Goodell should come down as hard on the Jets as he did on the Patriots for taping one game in 2007, if only because Johnson is challenging his authority, as Belichick did in 2007 by ignoring the league memo issued before that season.

Give it up. The Jets still got him. Goodell won’t let anything happen to the Pats, which is why he’s sitting on the deflategate report– he’s waiting for people to calm down before he declares no wrongdoing.

The whole point of the Patriots’ complaint was that while Revis was still undecided (fresh off a season Jets could only dream about), here comes Woody johnson effectively saying “oops, my bad! turns out building a lasting success isn’t what’s best for us as a team, it’s bringing our stars back!” and POOF!

Jets outbid Pats for Revis by a substantial amount (something no sane organization still looking to land a franchise QB would ever do) and now Pats don’t have their 2 starting corners anymore and Jets have their only franchise player since Namath back. As for revis? He gets to squeeze every freakin’ penny out of Mr “don’t-want-you-no-more” and he gets to do it in the only city he’s ever loved.

Much like Rex seemed to keep his killer instinct under wraps all season just to bring it out for the Pats twice a year, its become clear that one-upping the pats (in whatever little capacity) is basically the only thing Jets exist for, and that’s not stopping any time soon. Their counter claim of PATS now tampering with a guy who’s never going to play for them ever again? Either stupid, Laughable or both.

“Hey, what’s the point of bankrupting our future a la Miami if we can’t stick it to the Pats a few more times? I mean, its not like we’re ever going to beat them. Revis & Cromartie at corner + No QB? Yeah, wonder how the Pats are ever going to win against that”

No where in the statement from Kraft did he say I want Revis back. He stated that they wanted to keep him, wanted him in their system, but didn’t work out. That’s not the same as saying I want Revis back with the Patriots.

Wow! Woody just doesn’t get what tampering is… you can’t tamper with a guy when he isn’t in the process of negotiating a contract. Tampering is what one team does to make negotiations between a player and their current team break down (if possible). Revis JUST SIGNED a contract, and did so after having negotiated with the Patriots and rejecting their offer (because he knew he had a better deal available from the Jets). Kraft and Belichick saying they really liked the guy and wish they could have fit him under the salary cap is a very different thing than when Woody expressed an interest in a player he knew he could get (or at least force the Patriots to over-pay) if he made his interests clear. There is no intent in the Patriots’ comments to secure a future contract or interfere with ongoing negotiations. They KNOW he will never be a Patriot again.

If the league doesn’t slap Woody hard for this stupid complaint, they really have lost control of this league.

Also, this sounds a lot like the Jets know they have lost draft picks due to their own tampering and are trying desperately to get some back. Only problem is Johnson tampered saying he wanted a player under contract to another team and Kraft said the Pats don’t overpay so we let him go.

Sounds like maybe there was talk about investigations into Deflategate and the Jets’ tampering charge going in favor of the Patriots at the Owners’ meeting….Jets are desperately trying to mitigate losses by throwing (truly) baseless accusations around, hoping somehow to beat the Patriots…Lord knows, they can’t beat them on football field…Jets: 46 years and counting without a Super Bowl championship…pathetic.

The laughable jets, are trying to save their behinds against obvious tampering charges. There is a big differences on talking about the past with a player and expressing your interest in going after a player who is signed, as evidenced by woody Johnson calling Kraft to apologize.

Kraft did nothing wrong as per the rule written above

In fact as a patriot fan I hope the pats get fined for tampering as that would guarantee a fine for the jets. I will gladly lose out 6th round pick and get the jets second round pick as the jets tampering clearly played a roll in the negotiations with revis while krafts comments played no role in the signing of revis by the jets

There’s no time frame in the NFL rule as to when a comment like Kraft made is allowed. It’s not allowed at the beginning or the end of Revis’ new contract. He obviously wants Revis back after he leaves the Jets which could be in 2 years. Turn around is fair play. Go get em Woody.

Not a fan of either team, but the circumstances are totally different. The Jets said they wanted to bring a player back when that player was under contract – with I believe – a team option to extend the deal for something like $20m.

This time we have the Patriots simply explaining that due to a lookout for the future ability to resign young players on their roster when their contracts need extending, so even though they would have liked to keep Revis, they decided not to for the betterment of the whole team.

In my opinion, had the Jets really wanted to retain Revis’ services before, then they should have given in to his huge contract demands rather than trade him to Tampa Bay. I genuinely believe that they thought he wasn’t going to be the same player after that injury he suffered.

The Jets have to be the most pathetic, hypocrite joke of a franchise in professional sports. Jets tampered by definition. Period! Kraft merely stated he had hoped Revis would stay.
Jets ratted out a sideline camera even though they knew about it [and did the same thing against the Past the previous year and obviously they switch signals against familiar opponents anyway]
Of course the Pats weren’t going to allow the Jets to continue breaking rules and getting away with it. Enough is enough.
The Pats and the league will get a good laugh at this weak attempt by the Jets.

You’d have to be a complete moron to equate Johnsons statement to Krafts. One was made in reference to a future event (we’d love to get him back) and the other was made in reference to a past event (we would have liked to have him back). More foolishness from a joke of a franchise that is still butt hurt from when Belichick spurned them in favor of New England. Get over it, Jets, and try and focus on winning games.

The Jets, and their co-conspirators (Mehta and Cimini), purposely interfered with the Patriots contractual rights in order to send a message to Revis and his camp not to sign with the Patriots without getting to free agency so the Jets could open Woody’s checkbook.

The Jets can play all the games they want with the league office and for the benefit of the back page of the NY slander sheets but it’s a weak response.

The only super bowl Revis will likely win in his NFL career will have been in a Patriots uniform. That gets Woody’s panties in a bunch.

So the Jets are choosing to make themselves look even worse in this whole tampering situation. Kraft’s comments are completely different than Woody Johnson’s idiotic remarks. I’d say I was surprised, but it’s the Jets. They’re just an incompetent organization from top to bottom

As a Pats fan all I can do is shake my head. Be done with this crap already…….BOTH TEAMS!!!! It’s like two middle school girls bickering back and forth. I hate the Jets, but I could care less about what transpired. Revis was going to NY barring an exaggerated offer from the Pats. While Woody did get caught slipping it beared little to no significance on his decision. Let it go. The Jets need to focus on that “quarterback competition.”

I can’t even fathom how putrid it must be to have to follow & support the jets….I’m guessing it must be like Hell on earth…poor tourcherd souls…actually I kind of enjoy their pain….
Defending World Champions Fan Here…. Yup, life is good!!!
Go Pats!!!

Not that any of these tampering charges are reasonable (they all seem quite petty), but this goes to another level of stupid. If you actually understand the English language (which the Jets apparently do not), you can see that the Patriots are talking about the interest they HAD in keeping him, and how they WOULD HAVE liked to keep him when they had a chance.

That does not in any way, shape, or form divulge explicitly or implicitly an “interest in him” NOW, which is what tampering is all about. There was a time when Revis was available and Kraft could discuss his interest in Revis then, and Kraft is now referring to those past sentiments. Past. Duh.

Tense is important. I don’t think talking about a player’s circumstances in the past tense after he’s made a decision to leave the club constitutes an expression of interest in another clubs player. It’s just sour grapes by the Jets, who clearly and openly violated the rules to the point that the NFL can’t sweep it under the carpet. They got their guy, accept the punishment and move on.

Nice try by the Jets, but if they’re doing this for anything other than “two can play at that game” they’re fundamentally flawed. What Johnson said, however basic it may have been, was clear tampering, under the rules. Kraft expressed disappointment about losing a player in free agency. Completely different circumstances.

The tampering rules prohibit “[a]ny public or private statement of interest, qualified or unqualified, in another club’s player to that player’s agent or representative, or to a member of the news media.” The rule includes this example of prohibited statements: “He’s an excellent player, and we’d very much like to have him if he were available, but another club holds his rights.”

They can’t win the big one so they have to try to get their name in the papers.

When he was a Patriot, technically under contract for the Patriots for 2015, woody tampered by saying he wants revis back, then he signs him. That is tampering…not talking about how you lost a player that is now in a five year contract.

Ridiculous. Nothing is going to happen. Woody straight out said they wanted Revis back, then Revis went back. That deserves punishment. Belichick just said he’d wish they could have kept him. Any coach would say that if asked about a great player.

First, billionaire owner Bob Kraft swats at billionaire owner Woody Johnson. Now Johnson swats back at Kraft. Stop the childish games. Either duke it out in a boxing ring or get a hotel room to kiss ‘n make up. Geesh.

Kraft was using “past tense” and speaking of something that was past history. There is clearly a difference, and the fact that the Jets just don’t get it is further proof that that unfathomably poor excuse for an NFL franchise does, in fact, not get it.

I am so grateful that I had the foresight back on the late 70’s and early 80’s to know that this was not going to change, and walked away from the Jets while I still had plenty of time to enjoy football. It’s one of the better decisions I have made in my life. I can’t think of a bigger organization of losers than the NYJ’s. I’m serious. I’m just dumbfounded. I honestly think the Jets should be fined for this.

There’s a big difference. Johnson’s comments expressed real interest in acquiring Revis as he was about to become a free agent. It could have conceivably signaled to Revis that it would be in his own best interest to skip a chance to resign with the Pats and test free agency. In all likelihood, this is what he would have done anyway…but there’s still a chance it had some effect on Revis’ decision. Since Revis was still under contract with the Pats at the time, that’s tampering.

Kraft’s comment was designed to explain why the Pats didn’t match what the Jets were willing to offer Revis, while at the same time not insulting Revis by simply saying he wasn’t worth the money. Furthermore, the comment came after Revis had already signed a new contract. As such, it could not have any effect on his decision to sign with the Jets. Since it could not have any effect on Revis’ decision, the comment can’t be seen as tampering with the Jets’ roster.

This is simply the Jets using the fact that Kraft mentioned Revis by name to try and get even with the Pats or distract from their own tampering charges. Seems kind of elementary school level to me.

This is really stretching the letter of the law. Jets made a comment about a current player of another team under contract about a future possibility when that player still had to negotiate in the near future with his current club

The Pats made a comment about a past event that already happened and Revis already made his decision. All Kraft said is we would have liked to keep him but he went to the Jets. The Jets have him locked up for years and nothing the Pats could say would change that.

Not tampering by the law nor by intent.

The jets did it and influenced negotiations with the Pats, and the Pats ended up losing him.

…Indeed, Johnson said he wanted to bring back Revis at a time when Revis was under contract with the Patriots. Kraft merely said he had wanted to keep Revis after Revis left for another team….

But since Goodell and Kensil work exclusively for the Jets and Colts, the Pats will probably have to alternate giving one of those teams their 1st round draft pick for the next 10 years because the Pats are clearly guilty of not tampering with Revis and the Pats are the victim of Kensil and the Colts trying to frame them during the AFC championship.

I think I am joking about the draft picks, but with Goodell and Kensil in NFL mismanagement I will not be surprised if that tongue in cheek prognostication comes to pass.

Well played, Jets. This is entirely absurd. The Pats have a valid complaint based on a textbook example of tampering.

The Jets are playing stupid games.

But at least it’s good to see that the Jets, as an organization, or even their former employees, would never stoop to ridiculous measures in order to grind a finer edge on their axe against New England.

Oh, sweet misery at last you arrive again, as the curtains open upon the stage for act three of this sordid tale of fraternal strife!

These two clubs have been clubbing each other since The Tuna was poaching players and coaches (in both directions, mind you).

Maybe Bobby and Woodsie should agree to a drinking duel at the observation deck of the Empire State Building. The Winner getting to shove the loser off into the abyss (wearing a parachute in the colors of the winning team – of course), while the winner gets to gloat about how great a man he is for an entire two hour extensive interview on the NFL Network.

Amazing! Who advises these guys? Or are they just to rich and
entitled to listen to reason? I see a big difference and believe it is
purely intended as tit for tat. I also thought tit for tat was for 10 yr olds.
Now I understand why the Jets – Pats game is like a playoff game!

Kraft didn’t say anything that constitutes tampering. Revis just signed with the Jets, whereas he was coming into a new contract situation with the Pats when Johnson made his remarks. Totally different.

I look forward to Mehta’s column about how the Jets are being petty. What a hack he is.

Lol …. The jets can’t even file tampering charges right… The jets are like the kid that gets beat up and yells “I’m Gona get my big brother after you” then comes back with his goofy brother and the 2 of them get there a** kicked. Just go home jets and stop embarrassing your selfs.

This is not hard to understand. Kraft was talking about past events, i.e., “we WANTED to keep him.” That’s not tampering, there is no expression of a present interest in having Revis on the team, nor could there have been since the Patriots made their final offer and Revis didn’t take it. Woody Johnson’s comments were made regarding Revis’ impending free agency and indicated a FUTURE desire to sign Revis. The two comments are not comparable. This is a prime example as to why the Jets are a dysfunctional franchise. They are focused on retaliating against the Patriots and scoring points in the media. The Patriots are focused on getting ready for next season.

First, what the Jets did was tampering, not so Kraft’s comment–every team that loses a premium FA makes that statement. Second, the Patriots do what they do to gain a competitive advantage (deny the Jets picks or even better forcing a 26-place swap of their pick with the Jets)…the Jets are like little cry-babies and until they grow up, they’ll continue to be laughing stocks around the league.

This is a complete joke. The Jets continue to make themselves a laughing stock with their pitiful obsession with the Patriots. Woody Johnson is clearly either an idiot or sipping too many martinis on his compound. The league should just throw this out, but of course they won’t so it will seem to have equal weight to the investigation into the Jets tampering to sign Revis.

I apologize to Rex Ryan for thinking he was the reason the Jets were disfunctional. It is clearly Woody Johnson. He is like an ex-wife who is spurning everything (in this case Kraft) is doing because he is successful. I really feel bad for Jets fans, I really do. LOL. Oh, and poor Todd Bowles.

(1) someone in the Jets front office has too much time on his hands and isn’t as clever as he thinks he is; or

(2) the Jets are hoping that their charges against Kraft will delay the League’s tampering investigation against Johnson past the upcoming draft. That way, any loss of draft picks imposed for Johnson’s tampering won’t occur until the 2016 draft.

I’d hope the league takes a dim view of this clearly frivolous filing. The league has quite enough to do already. My guess is the Jets know they’re getting punished for the Revis tampering and are hoping to muddy the waters.

Playing to the home crowd is cheap + easy, but look how excited the Jets fans are about it.

“For the New York fans out there who are arguing that there’s no difference between the two, simply put, it’s a matter of timing: Johnson made his comments in December about wanting to bring back Revis when he was under contract to the Patriots. Kraft said he wanted to keep Revis days after Revis had left to sign a five-year contract with another team. It’s Johnson’s future tense (“I’d love for Darrelle to come back”) against Kraft’s past tense (“We wanted to keep him”). The timetable is clear.”

everybody knows what Woody said about Revis had nothing to do with Revis going back to the Jets….the reason Revis went back to the Jets was becasue they could afford to pay him more money then the Patriots under the cap…..Patriots filing tampering charges was just a way for the Pats to be petty and try to screw their rivals…..Woody just did the same thing back to them…..this will be a tie and no punishment should come for either team…..im sure I’ll get all thumbs down bc everybody hates the Jets BUT that does not mean I am not right…..it’s called logic

I love the people on here who actually think tampering makes a difference when it comes to any of these players.

You know how long Revis knew he’s be going back to the Jets? Since the dawn of time, so as long as he knew he was getting the most money.

You guys cry about surrendering 1st and 2nd picks (ringsfor 50 seems like a real rational guy), for something that was a predetermined thing. Revis was going where he’d be paid most, tampering wouldn’t have changed his mind.

And while were on the subject, it being complimentary by admitting that you never should have traded him really tampering? No it is not. It is a big deal being made out of nothing. This site, hates the jets, but be that as it may, it shouldn’t cloud your vision in terms of rationale and legitimacy. Go ahead and take a 7th round pick in 2016, what the hell do I care. But if you’re thinking this is an offense punishable by anything higher, means you’re too biased to watch this sport and appreciate it for what it is.

“alexb1234 says:
Mar 25, 2015 9:39 AM
everybody knows what Woody said about Revis had nothing to do with Revis going back to the Jets….the reason Revis went back to the Jets was becasue they could afford to pay him more money then the Patriots under the cap…..Patriots filing tampering charges was just a way for the Pats to be petty and try to screw their rivals…..Woody just did the same thing back to them…..this will be a tie and no punishment should come for either team…..im sure I’ll get all thumbs down bc everybody hates the Jets BUT that does not mean I am not right…..it’s called logic”

Um. Certain Jets fans on here seem confused about the timeline./ The Pats filed tampering charges back in late Dec/early Jan, when he was very much under contract with the Pats and had a full year left on his deal. The Pats were planning on negotiating an extension, but Johnson blew that up by openly stating that he not only wanted Revis, but he thinks the Pats deal was a bargain.

At that point the Pats filed their charges. That was before a playoff game had been played. It was before Revis had been set free. and It was before Revis became a Jet.

alex: If you read the article, then you’d understand that the Jets broke the rules. Now, I suspect you are right that the Pats wouldn’t have signed him anyway, but there is no doubt that Johnson’s comment certainly told Revis that he has a really good option is he doesn’t sign with the Pats. It’s the exact statement that the rule was pointing out.

Although, personally, I have a hard time believing that there is no communications letting players know that others are interested in them if they go the free agent route. It may not be direct. Let’s face it, players become friends with other players. So, a comment by a coach to his own players can lead a player to “catching up” with his bud on another team.

joshnyc1, Woody J said he would have signed Revis a year ago if he knew the deal the Pats would get was an option. AKA he TOLD REVIS, who was under contract, THAT HE WOULD PAY HIM MORE THAN HE WAS GETTING.

Thanks, Jets. Good move. In one childish shot on your part you’ve given the Patriots more bulletin board material/incentive to plow your sorry team into the ground next year and at the same time demonstrated to the NFL that you think their rules on tampering are a joke. That should enhance the Patriot’s case when the two instances are compared side by side.

The Jets are acting like what Woody did was harmless. It wasn’t. Prior to those comments, Revis had been traded by the Jets and had his overtures ignored when he became a free agent last year. As far as he knew, the Jets weren’t interested in him. Woody’s comments let Revis know that things had changed and he’d be welcome back in free agency. This likely had some impact on the Patriots’ negotiations with him. That’s not nothing. It’s actually a serious case of tampering.

Kraft’s comments, on the other hand, were about negotiations concluded two weeks ago and about a player who just signed with another team for five years. Most of the owners at the meetings probably made similar comments about their former players on the same day.

Personally, I think this is about the Jets wanting to muddy the waters and see if they can reduce the draft pick compensation headed to the Patriots. In part, it’s working. The story in many quarters is about the Jets and Patriots squabbling, not the Jets submitting a ludicrous tampering charge.

@witchrunner: the Patriots owner Robert Kraft talked about a player under contract with another team and by the letter of the law it’s called tampering, same thing that happened with Woody’s comments in December, it doesn’t matter when it happened….My point is neither comment had anything to do with what Revis was going to do, that’s why neither team should be punished…..that’s the logic that Patriots fans are missing here…

alex, it had EVERYTHING to do with Revis leaving the Pats. The JETS had previously ignored him when he was a Free Agent. By Johnson announcing they wanted him back, and even mentioning that he thought the deal with the Pats was a good deal by him, he set in motion the events that lead to him being available.

Obviously the Pats plan all along was to renegotiate the deal after the season

Pats were petty to file in the first place, but I think that was just some “wag the dog” over deflategate (which is also super dumb). They should have seen this coming. That said, both are being little babies, and should duke it out on the field.

I think the Jets are just confirming they tampered by submitting this complaint. If they think what Kraft said was tampering, then they have no doubt what Woody said was tampering. They’ve probably already been told they’re going to lose a draft pick so they filed a complaint in retaliation.

Hey, if you can’t beat em, you might as well file bogus tampering charges against them. There go the Jets again, acting like the clown show they are. Rex has left the building and has taken his Sanchez tattoo with him, but the clown show continues.

This is tampering charge levied by the Jets is completely false. We’ve not tampered at all. I was only speaking as a Pats fan regarding Darrelle Revis. We’ll now file charges against the Jets for their false tampering charges. Jets fans should be weeping now, because we’re going to crush them. -Baghdad Bob

Does anyone else remember Bizarro World from the Superman comics? That place that was the distorted version of earth (I think it was actually called “htrea”)? Bizarro was like the evil Superman. Anyone remember that?
The more I think about this, the more I think the Jets are the Bizarro Patriots. The Pats make moves focusing on the long-term. The Jets think pure short-term. The Pats’ owner started off working for a packaging company and now runs a massive international business conglomerate that happens to include the Patriots. The Jets’ owner inherited a piece of the Johnson & Johnson empire. Kraft is a noted Democrat. Woody runs fundraisers for the Republicans. Kraft is involved in most of the key committees involving the finances of the NFL; Woody not so much. Kraft’s team, love them or hate them, is really well-run where everything is about winning. Woody’s team, on the other hand, is a model of dysfunction that appears to focus on everything but actually winning. Maybe we should call the Jets the Stoirtap instead?

Woody Johnson (Dec 29 2014): “Darrelle is a great player, and if I thought I could have gotten Darrelle for [what the Patriots paid], I probably would’ve taken him…and it was our best judgment to do what we did. Darrelle is a great player. I’d love for Darrelle to come back.”

Robert Kraft (March 23 2015): “We wanted to keep him, we wanted him in our system. We have certain disciplines and we had hoped it would work out. It didn’t. We just don’t think about the short-term decisions. For example, next year we have three very good young defensive players coming up [for contracts] and we have to factor that we just don’t look at this year, we look out at the next few years. We’ve done okay doing that. [The Jets] are the team that drafted him. I think he feels a great commitment there, so we understand his going back and we’re sorry he didn’t stay with us.”

How anyone can think these two statements are the same is beyond me.

The Jets signaled to Revis that they were not only going to pursue him, but would pay him more than he made this past season with the Patriots. This would have the clear impact of making Revis less inclined to accept an offer from the Patriots before free agency, as he knew he had an opportunity to go back to team that drafted him while making at least as much as he had the past season. That violates the Patriots exclusive negotiating rights, as it reduces their leverage with Revis in getting him to sign before free agency starts (at the very least forcing them to eat 5 million in cap space, even if they did resign him). Filing a tampering charge against the Jets was appropriate.

Kraft was explaining the Patriots negotiations with Revis, confirming that they made him a fair offer and wanted him back, but acknowledging that they couldn’t come to an agreement and blessing his decision to return to the Jets. He made no offer of future employment and signaled no intent of pursuing him in the event he becomes available. This is clearly not tampering, as these comments have no bearing on the Jets ability to negotiate fairly with Revis.

We all know nothing will come of this. God-del is sooner or later going to have to pony up and address New England’s continuing showing signs of breaking rules, cheating or whatever you call it. Teams are starting to point fingers at the Pats and their coaches way of doing business. God-del has no problem coming out quickly on other teams violations but he still stumbles when it come to Kraft’s team.

Actually, the Jets may very well have a case. Contrary to the popular belief amongst the previous posters in the comment section, the rule does not specify whether the tense matters. In fact, the only qualifier is a “statement of interest”. No dictionary you will narrow a “statement” to a particular tense. Thus, statements made in the past tense are in fact statements. If you’re saying you wanted him to stay, that obviously means you want him NOW since you did not want him to leave. Definitely an argument.

Monday, March 23, 2015 “He’s a great player,” Bob Kraft told reporters during a 25-minute press conference on in the hotel lobby. “The fan in me wishes he (Darrelle Revis) were still us.”

Let’s see, Darrelle Revis is under contract with the Jets, and Bob Kraft is wishing Revis were still on the Patriots. That’s tampering, folks. Hey if the Patriots want to accuse the Jets of tampering, then it works both ways Patsie fans’. One tampering charges cancels out the other. Net result for the Patriots = no draft picks or swapping. It was a good day. #Gang Green #Jets Nation #Revis Island

Come on Jets fans, if Kraft was tampering, then what was Rex Ryan doing every time he talked up Brady? I know what the rule says, but clearly the intent is to stop what the Jets did with Revis, not what Kraft did with Revis.

If the Pats were as petty as the JETS they would have filed tampering claims every time Ryan said he wished he had a QB like Brady, etc.

Why, to take the focus off then tampering first. Tit for tat never is in anyone’s best interest. Try focusing on getting a qb and fixing all the Rex crap he created. Be happy Rex is gone. I’m not a fan but it was obvious his first couple years of winning was not from his leadership but a team built from people prior. He did nothing but drag this team down…… And I’m not even a fan of the Jets but have friends that are. As for the Pats, come on, they Are Just That Good!! I’m a Niner fan and admit this.

Actually, the Jets may very well have a case. Contrary to the popular belief amongst the previous posters in the comment section, the rule does not specify whether the tense matters. In fact, the only qualifier is a “statement of interest”. No dictionary you will narrow a “statement” to a particular tense. Thus, statements made in the past tense are in fact statements. If you’re saying you wanted him to stay, that obviously means you want him NOW since you did not want him to leave. Definitely an argument.
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“Wanted” = we HAD an interest. Given the fact that the Pats did not match the Jets offer their level of interest was quantified so the fact that the Pats “wanted” Revis was known via the offer made to him. What Kraft said was not a new expression of interest to Revis or his representatives.

All Kraft did was confirm they made him an offer because at the time of the offer they wanted him. That’s very different than saying “we want him back”.

LET THE JETS FANS HAVE THIER LITTLE FUN TODAY CAUSE WHEN THEY INTRODUCE REVIS TO HALL OF FAME —-HE BE WEARING HIS ONLY SB RING FROM THE PATRIOTS ,,,WE CAN LAUGH AT THEM FOR ANOTHER 100 YEARS …BBBBAAAAHHHHHH

@quizlingclinic: You act as if this situation was planned for well in advance. The jets had to spend the money and had the money to spend (yes, 2 different things). So this little meeting that you believe exists, where Woody apparently told revis he would pay him the most, is pie in the sky, and had no bearing on the Jets offer. The patriots did not have the type of financial flexibility, nor the monetary mandate per the CBA, to retain Revis. it wouldn’t have mattered either way. The patriots were not retaining Revis, and we all knew this MONTHS ago when he originally signed his deal with NE. We all knew, he would not be back. He would be playing with the Raiders if they reached into their pockets and gave him the most. So stop with the tampering, I think it’s a stupid argument, and while it could be applied to loosely for almost every player in the league, the one player it cannot be applied to is Darrelle Revis, who makes his decision based SOLELY on the bottom line and nothing else.

Kraft had several other comments about losing Darrelle Revis on Monday, “He’s a great player. The fan in me wishes he (Revis) was still with us,” Kraft said. “The emotion and the fan in you, you want to keep all the good players.”

You can’t have it both ways Pats fans. If you’re going to accuse Woody Johnson of tampering, well that’s tampering by Robert Kraft too. He’s expressing interest in a player under contract with the Jets to the media. Kraft is clearly interested in Darrelle Revis, and would love to have him on his team, if he wishes he were still on it.

Prediction: In the end, no draft picks will be surrendered or swapped by either team in regards to the Darrelle Revis tampering charges filed by both teams. The big penalties will be coming from other league investigation(s). You can book that in a NY minute.

Technically, there is no difference. They discussed a player under contract with another team. One could quibble that the circumstances differ, but according to rule, that doesn’t matter. In reality, it just demonstrates the weakness of the original filing by the patriots.
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Technically, there is all the difference in the world. Johnson’s comment was made at a point when Revis had to decide whether or not to resign with the Pats or test the FA market. It signaled the strength of the market that awaited if he chose to become a FA. Now, to be clear, I believe Revis almost certainly would have done exactly what he did no matter what. Johnson’s comments COULD, however, have affected Revis’ decision to resign with the Pats. That is clearly tampering with their roster.

Kraft’s comment was an explanation as to why the Pats didn’t match what the Jets offered. Rather than insult Revis and say he simply wasn’t worth the money, he explained why the Pats couldn’t afford him. Most importantly, his comments came after Revis had signed a new contract with the Jets. That means the comment could not have affected Revis’ decision. So, if there’s no chance the comment could affect the Jets’ roster, there can be no attempt to tamper with it.

Interesting…the Jets just admitted to tampering, if they filed against Kraft.
Because if Kraft is guilty of tampering, then so are the Jets. Then, NE would get remedy, and Kraft’s comments would be inadmissible, since one cannot claim injury for committing a breach of the rules.
I would liken it to theft. If the Jets stole a bar of gold, and the Pats expressed their wish to have it back, it cannot be considered tampering.

Goodell once again finds his back up against the wall in a corner. Rodger Dodger may have to put disappoint his buddy Bobby.

Smart move by the Jets to squeeze Goodell like this.

And the Pats get punished too. As has been indirectly said and others have directly said, the rule is very specific and what Kraft said fits right in. Revis was under contract to the Jets when Kraft spoke just as he was to the Patriots when Woody spoke. Woody’s comment was just as unintentional and not intended to tamper as Kraft’s was. Kraft could have had some class and admitted that and not file a charge. Perhaps if he had not had his head between the legs of some 25-year old girl he might have taken the time to exercise some discretion and class.

Actually, the Jets may very well have a case. Contrary to the popular belief amongst the previous posters in the comment section, the rule does not specify whether the tense matters. In fact, the only qualifier is a “statement of interest”. No dictionary you will narrow a “statement” to a particular tense. Thus, statements made in the past tense are in fact statements. If you’re saying you wanted him to stay, that obviously means you want him NOW since you did not want him to leave. Definitely an argument.
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“Wanted” = we HAD an interest. Given the fact that the Pats did not match the Jets offer their level of interest was quantified so the fact that the Pats “wanted” Revis was known via the offer made to him. What Kraft said was not a new expression of interest to Revis or his representatives.

All Kraft did was confirm they made him an offer because at the time of the offer they wanted him. That’s very different than saying “we want him back”.
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Whether it is a new expression of interest to Revis or his representatives is irrelavent under the rule. The rule states that the statement cannot be made to the media. You are filling in a theory of background story but the statement to the media itself falls under the broad and vague rule of which the tampering charges fall under.

Revis has no chance to leave the Jets to go back to the Pats. At the time when Woody made his statement, there was a chance Revis would be available. Big difference.
Does this mean the Texans are filing charges because Belichick said Wilfork was the best defensive lineman he’s coached?